Air washer and humidifier



Dec. 8,1931.

H. C. RIDLER AIR WASHER AND HUMIDIFIER Filed May 19, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 fig.j

Dec. 8, 1931. H, c, R E 1,835,812

AIR WASHER AND HUMIDIFIER I Filed May 19, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 11300011 00 flivy g 6i flz'dlel Dec. 8, 1931..

H. C. RIDLER AIR WASHER AND HUMIDIFIER Filed May 19, 1930 I5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Dec. 8, 1931 anaem a I AIR IWASHERANJIHUIMIDIEIEB I gA'ppiication filed m 3.19,

lily present invention relates to a 'device *for Washing and'huInidi -fying the air in a room-or *bui-lding and lias for its'ma'in object the provision of an extremely simple, highly 'eficient and-relatively inexpensive device of the kind described.

"Generally stated, the invention consists of the novel-devices combinations of devices and arrangement of parts -'hereina'fter described zand defined infthe claiins.

in the accompanying drawingsywhich illustrate the invention, like characters indicate like parts' throughout the several view-s.

Referring to the drawings: I Fig. 1 isa plan view 'of one formofth'e' device and-showing a portion of thefioor of a building, some parts of -the 'device being 'broken away and some parts being shown in section;

Fig.- '2 is a sectiontaken onthe line2i2 of Fig/1; g

Fig. 3 is 'asection' t'a'ken on the-linef3-3 o'f "Fig.2; 7 i i Fig. 4; is a -view partly in side 'elevalti'on and partlyin axial section in a somewhatmodilied form "otthe device, sonie pa'r ts 'bein'g broken mv-ay; v i

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section taken on Fig. (Sis a View in side ele-{vation ofanother slightly modified 'fOIITl {of the device, some p arts being loiiiken away"; 7 i

Fig. '7 isa sectiontaken onthe'line 7+7 of Fig.6;

8 s section tak en :on-fth'evline 8-t8 vof Fig. 7; i

:Fig. 9 is a ssect-iontaken. [on the line 9-9 of Fig' 7; and f Fig. -10:-is a ;plan view ofthe Water conmining-(lust sedimentP- c Referring sfi-rst .to .theefomn 'of the device showninl? 1 to 23 inelus iveqvherein the floor of-a building is in d-icatedlloy'theletter /1. The numeral 10 indicates avcasingthat .is provided at its upper portion with agrille or the like 11. .This casing'lO is adapted to project through an opening 12in a floory/ and to be suspended froni'the fioor,.as illustrated. with its grilled portion at approximately floor level. WithinthecasingIO is 1930. fis iiaimn. 453;545.

' an air heating means .13, preferably in'the ttori-n ofa itubu'lar steam-or hot-Water raidia- --tor, comprising-a tubular innerwa'll 14, and

#a tubular outer" wall 15 spaced apart to af- "ford :an an'nu'lar heating med iuni circulating y chaniber IG therebet-ween "andahuniidi fying "chamb er 1'5" 'Itherein. The annular charriber '16 is close'dat itsendsfandadapted to ibeconnected1to aisuitab'le source of l1eat, s uch. asia hot water 'or steam boiler, through heating B0 mediumcirculating connections 17 that proect through the casing 10 and open through the =outer'Wal1 15 'of the radiator. Thetubulax-radiator I3 is removahlysupported in the easing =1 0 by easing cross-members 18 that -'areengmged by' lugs 1Q, ca:rried bythe outer shellotfithe radiator. The bottoI'n-of the easing 10 is normally closed by a mmovable "water retaiiiiing dust-collecting pan 2O,- extended rt'hrouglhw'andfiab'ovelthe bottom of 1 Whi'ch is an: overflow pipe-21, which overllow ;p1pe*'carr1esaway all WHQtQI'lD. excess to a desired "predetermined level and most "o f'the diiftwashed from the air. I i

-Byreferel'i'ce to Fig. '1, it Will be notedtha't "the easii'i'g1Ofi-s just wide enough to a'ccorn- -modate the tubular radiator i3 and there- 'fore, said radiator forms the intermediate portion of a partition thatiextends between opposite en'ds otfsaid casing 10. The' b'ottom portiomo'f this partition structure, bel'ow th'e radiator 13, is "formed :byan approximately "half-round skirt 22 that-is 'carried' by and depending 'fromthe outer l'oWer portion'o'f the radiator and the "upper portion :of tlrispartition structure isformed by 'a hood-like *m'eni- Y b'er 23 and 'a p'artition'meinber'24 that is carried 'by'the "top of-the hood 28 and extends vertically therebetvveen a-nd the grille 1'1 and '=tran-sversely the full width of the easing.

"Y'The -ho'od 23 is formed with a depending annular/collar portion '25, that fits Within "the inner shell 14 ofthe tubular 'radiito'r, 'see Figs.' 1 andB. Al'so'by -referen'ce to said figures, 'it'wv'ill 'be noted that the portion of the hood l'ike member 23, above' the tubular radiator and to the right of *the axis of said radiator, is widened "tomeet the sideso'f'th e casing 10. Depending 'from the projected riglit' handend portion ofthe 'hood 23 and extending between opposite sides of the casing and terminating above the water level in the pan 20, is a battle partition 26.

The interior of the casing 10 is divided, as described, to form a U-shaped air intake duct 27 at the right-hand side of the casing, and an air discharge duct 28, at the left-hand side of the casing. The U-shaped air intake duct 27 directs air downwardly from the half of thegrille ll thereabove between the bafiie 26 and the right-hand side of the cas ing 10, close to the water level in the pan 20, under the bafiie and upwardly between said bafile and the right-hand outside of the tubular radiator and into the top of the air washing and humidifying chamber The air duct 28 directs air,passed downwardthrough the chamber 15", upward between the lefthand side of the tubular radiator and the casing 10 to andithrough the portion of the grille 11 and thereabove'to the atmosphere.

7 In the air duct 27 under the hood 23 and axially centered in respect-to the chamber 715?, is a spray nozzle 29, which nozzle is adapted to project a conical or inverted funnel-shaped spray downwardly axially into the chamber 15*. This spray nozzle 29 is connected to receive supply water under pressure from a suitable source through a supply line ,SOiand'either orjboth of two supply line branches, to wit: a branch line 31, interposed in which-is a flow: regulating shut-01'1" valve 32,vand abranchsupply line 33, interposed in' which is'a heat-receiving coil 34 and a flow regulating shut-off valve 35. flThe zheat receiving coil" 34:, is contained within the annular heatingmedium circulating' chamber'lfi of the tubular radiator and the stems of the valves 32 and 35 are operatable manually fromabove the grille by a detachable key or the like 36, indicated by dotted lines in Fig.2, the key-being inserted through the grille and into operative engage- .ment with thevalve stems;

It will, of course, be understood that when the-valve 35 is closed-and the valve32 is open,

supply water will be delivered to the spray nozzle at ordinary supply water temperature but when the valve 32 is closed and the valve 35 is open, the. supply water will be delivered to the nozzle through the heat-receivingcoil 34:. If heating @medium'i's being-circulated through the annular circulating chamber 16 -co'il 34, and warm or hot water will be del1V8I8CltO the spray nozzle 29." Alsoifthe valves 32 and 35 are each partly open, a mix- 'ture of cold and hotwater may be delivered -er adjustments of said valves,'the desired spray of the radiator, in a hot condition, heat therefrom will be absorbed by the water, in the to the spray nozzle and by making the proptemperature can be maintained.

' i b a 1: I i u \Vhen hea med um is circuated through he annular heating medlum circulating .cham

'ber 16 of the radiator and the water supply to the spray 29 is connected through either or both of the regulating valves 32 or 35, the operation will be as follows: Cold air, near the floor of the room, which, of course, has a natural tendency to settle, will pass downwardly through the right-hand side of the grille 11 and through the right-hand portion of the air duct 27, between the baffle 26 and side of the casing 10,- and will reverse its direction of travel and pass under the baffle 26 and upwardly between said bafiie and the right-hand side of the tubular radiator where it will become heated by said radiator and .be caused torrise toward the top of the air duct27 into the hood-like portion 23.

' It should now be understood that the downwardly projected conical or inverted funnelshaped spray, from the nozzle 29, will cause a down draft in the 'humidifying and air washing chamberlfi which will cause the; intake air to pass downwardly through the chamber 15 and into the air duct 28 where said air will become further heated by the left-hand. outside portion of the radiator and be caused to rise quite rapidly and pass out-1 maintain ,the water level in said pan at the desired level determined by the distance the overflow pipe 21 1s PIOjGCtGCl above the bottom of said, pan; and, of course, the excess 1 water will be drained oil through the overflow pipe 21. Of course, air taken from the ordinary room contains considerable undesired dust, smoke etc. Dust or heavier than air particles, passed downwardly into the air duct 27 will have a tendency to fall by gravity intoithe water-containing sediment pan 20 at thebottom of said duct when the air reverses its direction of travel and thus the-air will be subjected to a primary cleaning by means of gravity separation. Lighter particles ofdustarid smoke will, of course,

be passed into the humiditying and air washchamberv 15 and passed through the a spray and upon passing through the spray,

smoke will becomecondensed therein and dust particles and such foreign matter will become soaked and'the Weight of the water will cause the same to drop into the sediment I pan 20, below the chamber 15, and only very thoroughly purified air will be returned to the atmosphere through the air duct 28. It will, ofcourse, be necessary at intervals to remove the pan 20 and clean out the sediages anent that does not'mash :out through drain .Th'e amount-of humidity aortzmoisturesabsorbed ibytheiairspassedithrough the chamber 15 Wiil :be idepentlentmaii-nly upon .itavo fad .hfi1l SfZ fiISt,T!th6 amount zof :heatiradiated; from the tiihuiar .zradiator and absorbed the passing airsandseoond by itl-ieatemperature :of

:the supply Water dlivenedito an d proj ec from the spraysnozzlezZQ. :.Assumi-n-g that the heating medium circulating connections :17

to theiradiator connected :toxreceive heat ilar radiator will :bierautomatically:takenicarc =of and-Will vary acoordingito theamount of heat required to heatthe=r0on 1 ,or 'building under various Weather iconditions. There fore, on acold dayy-When mgreat. deal of heat "is required to properly heat :theroom offbuildring, the ".tuhularaadi at-or will become much hotter thanit would-011a relatively Warm day when Very :little heathi-s required-to heat the building or :room and consequently the amount of moisture "which :the air is caused ;to absorb will, :to :a great extent, beauto- 'maticaily ggovernedxby the amount .of heat requiredto heat 1a'hu-i-ldii g iuidcr varying weather conditions so :that on a cold day the air in the room :will Ibecaused to absorb much :more moisture than will am (a Warm;- say when little .or :no-iheat is necessary it is, of course, well understood that Warm or: hot air will-absorb. :a great deal .more moisture than av-ilh cool orcoldq air-so, therefore, the more heat applied to :the air by the tubular radiator, the :greater will be theabsorptionof moisture by the :air. It is desirable in order to maintain, under-different \WGELihBI conditions, approximately the same degree of humidity. to apply more moisture to the air in a heated. room in .cold Weather thanein Warm weather for in cold 'rareather theoutside atmosphere :contains very 'littlemoi sture and when brought to a ."high .temperature'inja room or building-a very dry Warmair condition exists. The first factor, therefore, governing the amount of" humidity absorbed by the [air is controlled automaticallyibut it I is desirable to provide some means of regulating each [device to suit the particular;installation and "this 1 preferably 'accom pl-ish regulating the second-note d'factorg towit "the temperature of the Water {delivered to and projected from the "nozzle .29, this being accomplished by means of the vailves -32 and-'85 as previously described. A warm or (hot finely atomized :spray water "will, of -course,- be absorbed by the :aii=r-.-muclrmore rapidly :than'a cool 0r;co'ld spray.

.I hate .found'thatihemost satis-i ac-tory're- .sults are "obtained "when .a somewhat over- :sizediair washingiand humidifying device is employedQt-hat'is,.1tosay, :a device capable .of:suppiyingimorefohan the desired amount of hum'iditytmthe air at .a inaximinnadjust- .inent'when all of :Lthesupply Water to the .cut .downuthehmriidit-y to the .desired extent. it should .here he noted that 'Whi lethe =veloc- :of air passed through the intake and discharge-lair duet'andchamber 15 ismateiriallyyacillated by tuhularsradiaton the down draft, created by :,,the.sp.ray the chamber 15 ,ais initselfsufli- .c'ientxto maintainzaicirculation of air through the air Washer and humidifier. The device win, therefor, continue its operation .as an a air Washer even when'the heat :is turned off. The form of device-thus far described, as shown Figs. 1to1'3 inclusiuefls especially adapted :for domestic use inhomes and the like because of its quiet operation and its iiim conspicuous out of :the athelfioor. I l I o Referring next to the slightly modified form .of (the device shown in Figs. 4 and 5,

Way position below -.which device :isadapted to set on the floor in :theroom in Which it operates. This deavicev is also adaptable -:for domestic use Where 7 there :is-am-ple space. for-the same in :the-room -in which it is :usedzbutit is especially adapted;;

{for .use in relatively small oiiices; factories sand the like ImFigs, Land .5, :parts correspondingz-tocpants in'Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive are indicated bylike ichara-cters. f

The numeral.3 7 indicates the casing of the -.de.vice, 38 indicatesakgrilled opening in che top of the casing, {39 .an :air intake ductleadringgthrough'one sidecf the lower portion of v {the casingBfTto the top of ithfi tubular radiator, andaOa discharge air duct leading from "theqlower portion of the air washing and rhumidifying :chaniber 15 :to :the atmosphere throughfithe grille '38. The bottom of the leasing l0 isrremovable and. forms'a Water-re- -tairiing dust-collecting pan 41, below :the huniidifyingiandwair washing chamber 1'5 and air duct 40. The entire casingand :parts contained itherein :are supported :above the floor on'legs 41?. .ifintthis fommd-ike in'theform YvfiI'StdGSCIiibdfthB casing-us just Wide enough "to :accommodate'the tubular :radlator and i said radiator, :the sirirtz22, :andwthe hood like isni'eniber 23' form a partition structure between opposite .sides of the casing. In this *formyphowever, the air is taken in at theboti 0: tom :of the .caslng .and'the entire, grille, above the casing, is used for discharging all air. a

In this form ofzdevicaqthe heating medium circulating pipes 17 and water supply pi e 31 are projected {upwardly through the floor beneath the leasing; and through the ,air duct heat passed off by 1 1 530 no further description and operation is thought necessary.

IV hat I claim is:

1. A device of the class described comprising a chamber that is open at its ends and surrounded at its sides by an air-heating means, a water supply, a nozzle connected to the water supply and arranged to project a spray longitudinally into said chamber, and.

means for pie-heating the supply water be,- fore delivery to said nozzle.

2. In a device of the class described, a radiator comprising tubular inner and outer walls spaced to afford an annular heating medium circulating chamber therebetween and a humidifying chamber within said tubular radiator, a spray nozzle arranged to project a spray longitudinally into said humidifying chamber, a water supply line for said nozzle, and a heating coil in said annular heating medium circulating chamber, and adapted to be connected in said nozzle water supply pipe for pro-heating water before it is projected into the humidifying chamber.

3. A device of the class described comprising a humidifying chamber, a heating means surrounding said chamber, a nozzle arranged to project a spray downwardly into said chamber, and awater-containing sediment pan below and spaced fromthe bottom of said chamber.

4-. The structure defined in claim 3 in further combination with an air duct arranged to direct air, downwardly through said chamber and upwardly past the outside of said heating means.

5. A device of the class described comprising a humidifying chamber an air-heating means surrounding said chamber, an air duct arranged to direct air upwardly past the outside wall of said air-heating means and deliver the same to the top of the humidifying chamber, an air duct arranged to direct air downwardly through said chamber and upwardly past the outside Wall of said airheating means to the atmosphere, and a spray nozzle arranged to project a spray of water downwardly through said humidifying chamber.

6. The structure defined in claim 5 in combination with a water-containing dust sediment pan below said chamber.

'7. The structure defined in claim 5 in fur- 1 ther combinationwith a power-driven fan for circulating air through said ducts and chamber. v

8. The structure defined in claim 5 in combination with a removable-sediment pan below and spaced from the bottom of the hu-.

midifying chamber, and a drain therefor opening above the bottom of said pan to carry away excess water which collects the dirt and carries it away.

9. In a device of the class described a humidifying chamber that is open at its upper and lower ends, air heating means surrounding said chamber, a spray nozzle arranged to project a spray of water downwardly into said chamber, and an air duct leading from the lower end of said chamber and upward past the outside of said air heating means.

10. In a device of the class described a humidifying chamber, that is open at its upper and lower ends, a radiator surrounding said chamber, an air duct fordelivering incoming air upwardly past the outside of said radiator to the top of said chamber, and a spray nozzle arranged to direct a spray downwardly into said chamber.

11. In a device of the class described a humidifying chamber that is open at its upper and lower ends, a radiator surrounding said chamber, an air duct for delivering incoming air upwardly past the outside of said radiator to the top of said chamber, a spray nozzle arranged to direct a spray downward ly into said chamber, a water supply line leading from said nozzle, means for heating the supply water in said line before delivery to the nozzle by the heating medium circulated through said radiator, and means for regulating the amount of heat supply to the water before delivery to said nozzle.

12. In a device of the class described, a tubular radiator comprising a tubular inner wall afiording an intermediate chamber therein and a tubular outer wall spaced from said tubular inner wall to afford an annular heating medium circulating chamber therebetween, a spraynozzle arranged to project a spray longitudinally into said chamber, branch water supply lines to said nozzle, a heat receiving coil within the annular heating medium circulating chamber and interposed in one of said branch water supply lines, and a valve interposed in each of said supply lines for regulating the temperature of water delivered to said nozzle.

13. A device of the class described com prising an upright humidifying chamber, heating means surrounding said chamber, and a spraying-nozzle located axially of said humidifying chamber and constructed and arranged to project a spray of water outwardly against the upper portion of the inner wall of said chamber whereby the water contacting with said wall will run downwardly and much thereof will be evaporated,said chainber being open at its bottom, and means below said chamber for catching the surplus or unevaporated water.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

HARRY C. RIDLER. 

